"The Nature of Survival’ is an inspiring story of personal challenges, grief and loss as well as the strength of love and the healing power of nature. The teller of this wonderful story of a life now finding fulfilment after a long struggle is Doug Lang; a local farmer, environmentalist and now author. Doug has put heart and soul into this book and with the constant love and support of wife Cheryl, children Simon, Ryan, Billy and Christy and the legacy and inspiration of Rebecca, he has shared his experiences with honesty and spirit. Doug tells of his motivation to write the story he had been putting together for many years. He shares his battle with depression, intrusive thoughts, alcohol addiction and the overwhelming grief of personal loss. He tells how, throughout the years, he continued to function in the community through sport, work and family life. As years went on he became increasingly attuned to the environment and thus began a passion which has carried him through the most debilitating experiences and is now, along with his family, the focus of his life’s work. Growing up on a farm at Balintore as generations of his family before him, Doug developed a keen sense of the natural world around him and has now, after many years of work and the help of Cheryl, family and friends, succeeded in the revegetation of their farm. Doug researched the native plants which grew prior to cultivation for farmland and has succeeded in re-introducing some of them while at the same time, creating a beautiful plantation in memory of their daughter Rebecca. The motivation and courage Doug needed to finally put his life into a book came with the experience of being made redundant from his job in circumstances which deeply undermined his self-esteem and the pride he took in the recognised quality of his work and long service to the organisation. With Cheryl’s encouragement he began a journey alone into the outback to reflect and focus on his life and the book. However, the diagnosis of Rebecca’s illness meant an immediate return home and the beginning of the most painful and profound journey yet. Doug’s story is real and powerful, an inspiration to those who share it."